Qualification

Eligibility

Contributions

USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final Champions

About Event

The History of the Saddle Seat Medal Final

The American Horse Shows Association (AHSA) Equitation Medal was established in 1937 by the fourth President of AHSA,
Adrian Van Sinderen, as part of his strategy to connect horse people across the United States. The original Van Sinderen
trophy was awarded to the Junior Equitation rider who accumulated the most points in AHSA Medal classes in a given
competition year. At that time, Saddle Seat, Hunt Seat and Stock Seat riders were all vying for one trophy, often
riding against one another in the same class. In 1948, the classes were divided into the individual riding disciplines.
Van Sinderen had two more trophies made, one for Hunt Seat, and the other for Stock Seat. The Saddle Seat discipline retained
the original Van Sinderen Trophy. In 1950, the Medal Final was fashioned into the competition format we now know, with
qualifying classes and Final to determine the overall winner.